It’s end of season award time and… well, I don’t have an official ballot. But not being official never stopped me before.

So here would be my votes for the winners, plus some people I also would have put on the list.

Note that the one exception is the Most Improved Player category, an award that I despise. Usually it goes to a good player who just gets more minutes and keeps performing at the same level, but aside that I think the entire concept of the award is questionable. So I’m not touching it. But I’ll play along with everything else.

Most Valuable Player:

LeBron James. He has simply had the best statistical year, improving and taking a larger role in the Heat’s offense while also being a key part of their defensive strategy. He’s shooting 53.1 percent, he has a league best PER of 30.7, he’s getting to the line and dishing assists — he has been the best player in the league this season by a long shot. If you want to say, “that doesn’t matter until he wins a ring” go right ahead, he’d agree with you. But the fact is this is a regular season award and he has been the best player in the regular season going away.

2. Kevin Durant; 3. Tony Parker; 4. Chris Paul; 5. Kevin Love.

Defensive Player of the Year:

Tyson Chandler. I’ll admit up front this is a bit of a lifetime achievement award — he has been fantastic for years, was key to Dallas winning a ring last season and now has been at the heart of a turnaround in the Knicks defense. He is the Knicks MVP this season.

2. LeBron James; 3. Kevin Garnett.

Rookie of the Year:

Kyrie Irving. This really isn’t close. Coming out of college (where we didn’t get to see a lot of him) I thought he would be good but at the core of a rebuilding process. He proved me and a lot of people wrong. He averaged 18.5 points and 5.5 assists a game. Cleveland has something there.

2. Ricky Rubio; 3. Kenneth Faried.

Sixth Man of the Year.

James Harden. Easiest choice on the board. Harden not only scores 16.8 points her game he is the best playmaker on the team — Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant can get theirs, but when Harden is running the offense everybody gets a piece. He is the guy they trust to make the right decision at the end of the game. Plus, best beard in the league.

2. Lou Williams; 3. Jason Terry.

Coach of the Year.

Frank Vogel (Indiana). There are some veteran coaches who did fantastic jobs this season, no doubt, but nobody got as much out of the talent he was given and helped a team grown and evolve like Vogel. He has his team playing smart, balanced, team ball at both ends of the floor. He’s made the smart move all year, riding the hot hand and trying different lineups to see what works in what situation. He won’t win it, but he deserves it.

the Wizards have shown little appetite for dealing Otto Porter anywhere for a return heavy on future assets and cap flexibility, sources say

John Wall‘s massive contract looked barely movable even before he underwent season-ending surgery. Washington seems unwilling to take a step back by trading star Bradley Beal.

So, that leaves unloading Porter – who’s earning $26,011,913 this year and due $55,739,815 over the next two seasons – as the obvious way to create cap flexibility and accumulate future assets. If the Wizards are unwilling to do that, it speaks volumes to their plan.

They don’t want to rebuild. They want to win now. Porter can help them do that.

In many ways, it’s noble Washington is so committed to winning, even at great expense. That’s generally what we want from teams. We don’t want them to give up or cut costs just because they’re a couple games out of playoff position midway through the season.

But the Wizards’ spending has been… uneven. Leonsis greenlit a payroll well into the luxury tax and is apparently willing to keep Porter, which likely keeps that payroll high. Yet, Washington is also holding as many roster spots vacant as allowed, offering small savings rather than adding depth amid multiple injuries.

Maybe the Wizards just don’t believe they could sign minimum-salary players who’d actually help. But insurance never hurts on the court.

So, Washington is left looking content holding its few major contracts, nickeling-and-diming down the roster, winning a barely moderate amount and not gaining better position for the future. I’m unconvinced that’s a worthy vision, but if that’s what the Wizards want, keeping Porter helps stay that course.

Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart has been fined $35,000 for aggressively pursuing an opponent in an attempt to escalate a physical altercation and failing to leave the court in a timely manner following his ejection, it was announced today by Kiki VanDeWeghe, Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

The incident, which took place after Smart was assessed his second technical foul and was ejected, occurred with 7:35 remaining in the third quarter of the Celtics’ 113-105 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 19

Smart was seemingly near the line between this fine and a suspension. He’s fortunate to land on the side he did.